


Better Than The World

by Tashi_Lupin



Category: DCU (Comics), Impulse (Comics), The Flash (Comics), Young Justice (Comics)
Genre: Bart Has Self Esteem Issues, Family, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, among other issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-19
Updated: 2016-06-19
Packaged: 2018-07-15 22:26:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7241257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tashi_Lupin/pseuds/Tashi_Lupin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Father's Day is coming up, and Bart Allen doesn't have a Father. He doesn't have a family.</p><p>Except, on both accounts, he does.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Better Than The World

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for a trade for irlswerve on Tumblr. I haven't read a ton of the Impulse series, so I'm not entirely sure if my characterization is correct. Lots of inspiration taken from the Nightmare Issue (#19)  
> Hope you like it! <3

“Hey Carol, can I hang out at your house tomorrow?” Bart tugged on his friend’s shirt as they weaved through the halls of Manchester Mall, Carol with more skill that Bart.

“Tomorrows Father's’ day, Bart. Me and my Dad are going fishing. Aren’t you doing something?” Carol asked, stopping in front of the Arcade.

A passing bully from school, maybe someone Bart had accidentally slighted over the year, probably Evil Eye, called out. “Don’t you know? Allen doesn’t got a dad!” Evil Eye and his friend laughed on their way to the food hall. Bart tugged Carol into the arcade, babbling on about that new game the Arcade got yesterday and tried not to let it show that he was upset.

* * *

 

Bart got home at 7:30, half an hour before his curfew and went straight to the bathroom to brush his teeth. Max knew something was wrong, likely that the boy was hiding something. Bart constantly fought his bedtime and never went to bed early. Ever. Max pushed himself out of his chair to knock on the door of Bart’s room.

Bart didn’t hear him, laying face down on the top bunk of his bed, pillow over his head, pressing his hands against his churning stomach. He didn’t- he didn’t have a dad. Evil Eye was right. He didn’t didn’t not any more cause time was all wrong and dad and mom were in the future and he was  _ here  _ and he didn’t know if he’d ever get back and the next time he saw his dad, Dad would be a baby and he’d probably never see his mom again and and and Grandpa Barry had come back but he didn’t want him around at all cause Bart was bad and got in the way and no one wanted him he was the speedster no one wanted and he just. He just wanted his family. He wanted his mom. He wanted his dad. He wanted his family.

Bart didn’t have a family. No one wanted him. The speedster no one wanted. That was Bart Allen.

He didn’t realize he had started crying, choking on tears, his small frame shaking, mattress wet with tears. He wiped them away, chafing his face with the speed and the salt water. No one no one no one wanted him maybe he should run away maybe he should go somewhere and then no one would have to pretend to care about him cause they didn't they didn't think he was really their family he wanted his dad he wanted his auntie and his mom and and and and to be wanted and he  _ missed _ them and Bart didn’t have a dad anymore or a mom or a family and he never ever really had one he only got to see his parents sometimes and and and he just didn’t have anyone and and and-

“Bart. What’s going on?” Gruff. No-nonsense. Max.

Bart hiccuped on more tears. He couldn’t cry in front of Max, Max was strong and solid like that big tree in Redwood they saw that one time and Max never cries ever, Bart hasn’t ever seen Max cry not ever he probably never had tear ducts he probably never cried cause he isn’t a baby like Bart, hes’s Max Mercury and people want him and-

Bart moved, almost out the door in a millisecond only to be caught in Max’s strong arms. Like that redwood tree, like Superman, no stronger than Superman, more solid, more, more, more good and Max smelled like he always smelled tobacco Max hadn’t smoked for centuries and old people and cologne from the forties and Bart. Stopped. He took a breath. Another. He turned in Max’s arms and shoved his head into his stomach, clinging to him for dear life.

Max held the kid tight, running a gnarled old hand over Bart’s back, one hand on Bart’s head though he doubted the Kid could feel it through his hair. Max Mercury, king of secrets Max Mercury, didn’t know what was going on, but he knew when his boy needed affection, real affection. He squeezed Bart gently, the kid was still vibrating. “I got you,” Max said, low and strong in a way that could be mistaken for gruff, but Bart knew wasn’t as gruff as Max tried to be. 

“Max? Do you really want me around?” Bart mumbled into Max’s stomach, feeling like Max was cradling him like a little baby. “I mean if you don’t that's okay, I just don’t wanna be a burden if you don’t I could leave and I was wondering cause I was thinking about it and-”

“Bart.” He could  _ feel  _ Max’s voice rumbling in his chest like the Batmobile, like Bart had his head against the engine of the Batmobile. Bart stopped talking. “‘Course I want you around, boy. Think you would be here if I didn’t?” Max pulled Bart off his chest so he could see Max smile down at him.

Bart wiped leftover tears from his eyes and looked down to hide the red in his cheeks. “Do you… do you love me?” he asked quietly.

Max paused and held Bart’s face in his hands. Bart’s heart skipped a beat here comes the truth cause Max doesn’t lie and- “You’re my nephew. You’re my  _ family. _ ” Max smiles a whole face smile that made the crinkles around his eyes make him look younger and his smile was crooked and you can’t fake a smile like that, that was a smile a VR was never able to capture. “...yeah, I love you.” 

Bart threw himself into a hug, tears returning. Except these weren’t bad tears cause it wasn’t just the reality of being hurt that the VR never taught him it was emotions like this, love that made your whole body glow and your heart feel like it was too big for your body and your fingers go numb and yeah maybe Bart was being a bit of a crybaby but Max held him tight, so tight, and Bart could feel him still smiling and could  _ feel  _ that he loved him and and and-

Bart Allen may not have a dad, but he had a uncle that who better than every dad in the world.

“I love you too Max.”


End file.
